Disney Restructures Streaming Leadership, Names Adam Smith Chairman

Disney has restructured the leadership of its streaming division, replacing a co-president model with a single chairman for its Direct-to-Consumer business. The move, announced on September 17, 2026, names Adam Smith as the sole Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment, while Joe Earley transitions to a newly created role as President of Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy. The leadership change consolidates oversight of Disney's global entertainment subscription video-on-demand business, including Disney+ and Hulu, under one executive. Smith will be responsible for product, engineering, advertising technology, programming strategy, viewer experience, partnerships, and data analytics. The restructuring is part of a broader company initiative to streamline operations and position Disney as a digital centerpiece. "Over the past two years, Adam has done an exceptional job building a world-class team of product and technology leaders and has significantly enhanced the Disney user experience globally," said Dana Walden, Disney's President and Chief Creative Officer.